Revolving ladder-support.



G. W. ROWLBY.

REVOLVING LADDER SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 27, 1913.

I 1,082,240. Patented Dec.23,1913.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH co., WASHINGTON, D4 c.

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GEORGE W. ROWLEY, OF HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA.

REVOLVING LADDER-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Tatented Dec. 23,1913.

Application filed January 27, 1813. Eerial No. 744,398.

To all 207mm ii may concern Be it known that l Gnome W. llownnr, acitizen of the United States, residing in the city of lzlollywood,county of Les Air geles, State of Galifornia, have invented a new anduseful improvement in Revolving Laddengup iorts, of which the followinga specification.

This invention relates to ladder supports and particularly to a movableladder sup port adapted to support a ladder in proximity to treesbearing fruit, antL the principal object is to provide a ladder supporthaving a plurality of supporting arms capable of being revolved aboveand below the limbs of the tree.

It is also an object to provide a vertical support for the laddersupporting arms which may be securely and adjustably fastened inrelation to the tree trunk so that the revolving action is notinterfered with.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a fruit tree, to which isapplied the ladder support showing the ladder and its support in sideelevation. Fig. 2 is a detail of ti e bearing carrying the adjustablesecuring means for lashing the support to the tree. Fig. 3 is a sideview of the device illustrated in Fig. 2 showing the lower pivot whichis preferably secured in the ground. 4 is a detail of a section of theladder, showing the step thereon in plan. Fig. 5 is a detail section ofthe lower supportingarm, showing the yoke of the ladder engagingtherewith.

In the drawin s, 6 designates the trunk of the tree having limbs 77, towhich is applied the ladder 8 and its support 9, said support having theupper arm 10 and the lower arm 11 securely mounted or formed integrallywith the main portion of the support, which is preferably a shaftprovided *ith a plurality of hearings or pivotal means.

The cylindrical portion of the support 9 forming the shaft is carriedthrough the bearing 12, this bearing being so arranged that it can besecured as high upon the tree trunk as desired by means of a flexiblestrap l t provided with a plurality of openings which are adapted toengage the rod 15, carried through the drum 16. One end of said strapengages on one side of said rod 15, the other openings in the strapafter it has been carried around bearing 12 and the tree trunk, aresecured over the opposite end of the rod 15, which also serves as anoperating handle to wind up the drum when the strap is secured thereto,

The drum 1.6 is rotatably mounted. on a, short shaft 18, which isrigidly secured to the bearing 12, and the inner end is preforablysupplied with the ratchet teeth 1:), adapted. to be engaged by the pawl20 which is eith r actuated by means of a weight 21 or springs asdesired.

The lower end of the support 9 adjacent its connection with the lowerarm 11 is provided with a flange 32, the shaft being tapered below thisflange to form the point 22, which is preferably forced into the grounduntil the flange rests on the up per surface, the shaft first beinglined up so as to occupy the vertical position close to one side of thetree trunk.

The lower arm 11 is preferably rigidly secured to the supporting shaft 9and, as shown, consists of a channel preferably formed of stiff metalextending at right angles to the supporting shaft 9, which will normallythrow it into a horizontal position in relation to the ground adjacentthe tree. The flanges of the channel extend upwardly and are providedwith oppositely disposed slots 23, which are adapted to be engaged bythe horizontal portion 2% of a yoke having the embracing arms 25, theyoke being placed at the lower end of the ladder adapted to be supportedon this arm. This arm 11 may be adjustably arranged in relation to theshaft, but must be necessarily secured in a rigid position practicallyin the same plane as the upper arm 10, formed with a similar channel tothat for the arm 11, this arm also extending at right angles from thesupporting shaft 9, and is rigidly seeured thereto, the free endextending outwardly parallel with the arm 11. Similar slots 26 are outin the flanges forming this channel, and the rod 27 engages therewith,its ends extending a suffioient distance laterally from the sides of thearm to form a rest for the yoke arms #8 carried by or secured to theupper end of the ladder 8.

The ladder 8, as shown, is formed of a flat section of stiff metal onwhich are supported steps 29, which are, as shown, formed preferably ofelliptical plates of metal which embrace the leg 30 of the laddersecured thereto by means of the sleeves 31, formed integrally with thestep 29 by means of pins or bolts 32.

ladder to accommodate variations in the in- 1 chnation of the ladder orthe support.

y curving the lower arm so that a yoke could be formed therein, thesupport would not have to be moved in order to entirely circle the treeat one position of the shaft, and the bearing 1 may be supplied withsuitable yolres to engage the tree, or flattened on its tree engagingface.

hat 1: claim is:

l. A ladder support, comprising a shaft, arms extending from said shaft.adjacent each end thereof, means for securing said shaft to a tree, anda ladder supported on said arms.

2. A. ladder support, comprising a rotatable shaft, a bearing for saidshaft, means to secure said bearing to a permanent vertical support, aplurality of spaced ladder supporting arms secured at right angles tosaid shaft, and means to engage the ladder with said arms.

A ladder support, comprising a shaft having a plurality of spaced laddersupporting arms extending rigidly therefrom in a parallel relationhaving notches thereon, a ladder engaging said notches, a bearingslidably and rotatably supported on said shaft intermediate said arms,and means on said bearing adapted to be adjustahly engaged with a treetrunk.

a. A ladder support, comprising a shaft, a

plurality of arms rigidly secured to said shaft, one of said armsextending at right angles from the upper end of said shaft, the lowerarm being supported adjacent the lower end, a flange on said shaftintermediate the lower arm and the lower end of said shaft, a bearingfor said shaft intermediate 3 said arms, means to secure said bearing toa desired object, and a ladder adapted to be supported on the lower endof said arms and contact with said upper arm, and in variable positionsof adjustment.

5. A ladder support, comprising a revoluble shaft, a plurality ofchanneled arms rigidly secured to said shaft having the upwardlyextending flanges of said channels notched, said arms being extended inparallel relation to one another and substantially at right angles sothat when shaft is supported in vertical position the shaft will swingin a horizontal direction, bearings for said shaft, means to secure saidbearings in fixed relation, a rod adapted to be supported in a pair ofregistering notches of said upper arm, and a ladder having yokes ateither end thereof, the lower of said yokes adapted to engage and restin a pair of registering notches in the lower arm, the up oer of saidyokes adapted to lean against the rod supported in a pair of registeringnotches of said upper arm.

In witness that I claim the foregoing it have hereunto subscribed myname this 18th day of January, 1918.

GEORGE ROXVLEY. lVitnesses:

E. Sorronz, M. BATTEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G.

